


The Littles of the DreamSMP

by JayMaySay



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst, Clay | Dream Has ADHD (Video Blogging RPF), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lowercase, Non-Sexual Age Play, Stimming, adhd stimming, and i also curse too much so apologies, cursing, cursing because it is tommyinnit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:29:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28851357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayMaySay/pseuds/JayMaySay
Summary: Requests for agere of those on the smp which are not sexualized! I figured I should give myself a little challenge! I'll try and update at least once a week :)
Comments: 47
Kudos: 479
Collections: MCYT Age Regression (SFW)





	1. Requests in comments!

things i will do!  
\- platonic cuddles and kisses  
\- any sort of little gear, but not diapers...  
\- relationships between of age ccs who have stated they are fine with it and don't care

big no no rules!  
\- no sexualizing  
\- no death  
\- no smut  
\- no shipping of underage characters (those who do tubboxtommy wtf seriously)  
\- no serious abuse of the littles from caregivers (I don't see anyone really do that anyways)

THIS IS ALL SFW, so please be respectful. I'll probably comment a denial on those who aren't but idk yet. also, i might not know a certain event or the exact details, so bear with me.

  
anyways :) let the comments roll in!

also i will be posting my own work as the second chapter so stay tuned!

requests can be in any chapter btw!


	2. Much Needed Comfort (little!tommy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> little!tommy and cg!phil and cg!techno :)
> 
> tommy hasn't been in a safe place to regress in a long time, before pogtopia, and accidentally does it after a frightening visit from dream. phil and techno find out...

tommy had been doing fine. he was doing fine. he had been helping techno and phil acquire materials and supplies to take back his discs and stop the bad government ruling over l’manberg.

phil had been under house arrest for awhile, until tubbo deemed it okay to release him. they didn’t understand why he had been under house arrest for so long after the attempted murdering of technoblade, even after the storm calmed down, but eventually tubbo took off his monitor and allowed him free roam. so as soon as he was free, he fled back to techno’s and barely returned to l’manberg unless it was at night and he absolutely needed something from his house storage. he had been shocked to see tommy curled up asleep on the couch with techno’s red cape draped over his shoulders the night he returned, but his heart warmed at the sight of his last two kids getting along. 

from there on it had been the three of them, with ghostbur joining them most of the time when he wasn’t spending time with fundy. phil liked having tommy’s enthusiasm and upbeat behavior in contrast to techno’s calm and content attitude. however, tommy wasn’t the same since the last time he had seen his youngest. his shoulders were more hunched over, his eyes sheltered dark bruises, and the weight they tried so hard to put on was gone. it wasn’t easy to get pounds on the kid and to see him back at a low point pained him.

he laughed less, his jokes lacked, and he had little movements that concerned phil. the flinching, the held breaths, the stiff shoulders, the constant apologies and questions of punishment. he also looked like he was struggling to function some days, wanting to be alone, not wanting them to go even into the next room, or getting extremely anxious around them, biting his nails or the inside of his mouth and tapping his foot rapidly. 

tommy had thought that he had been hiding it so well from his family, but they were too observant and he couldn’t hide anything from them. they knew each other like the back of their hands.

tommy had been regressing since before the election. it had been his secret that not even tubbo knew about. he couldn’t remember how he learned about it or discovered it, but suddenly he was younger mentally and he felt better. he kept a cow stuffie and book as his little things since he couldn’t have much and didn’t know how to get what he really wanted. if someone found his things, he could write it off as old stuff, but if there were brand new objects, it would be impossible to explain. he had to make due with what he had. 

but he lost his cow and book since it was hidden under his bed at his house in l’manberg and he hadn’t been able to grab anything before being escorted out. he hadn’t had it for months because of being banished in pogtopia, where regressing was dangerous and happened only once or twice despite the rising stress levels, and then suddenly he was gone from his country again, from his home. he had one day with his favorite stuffie in memory of henry and that was it.

he hadn’t regressed during his time in logstenshire, not with dream looming over every time he was awake. there was no time to ever fall into that safe space.

so he was holding on by a thread. after running from dream’s tight fist, hiding away in techno’s basement, being found, and having to constantly hide when dream pops in to check on technoblade, he was struggling to remain sane and big.

after another visit that made his heart pound with fear and there were too many close calls for comfort, tommy sat in front of the fire criss cross and stared into the raging flames. he nearly messed up and shown himself unintentionally to dream. he had gotten a stern scolding from technoblade for his incompetence and the anger he saw on his brother’s features made him think the worst was going to come true.

he was going to send him back to logstenshire, he was going to tell dream the next time he visited, he was going to be sent back to that living hell and he wouldn’t help him. he would leave him to suffer because he was sick and tired of all the bullshit his little brother was creating and all the equipment he stole, but then he was starting to return it by going on supply runs with techno, but then again he wasn’t really contributing much since techno had to save his ass every five seconds and oh god _ oh shit he didn’t want to go back please- _

he had been trying so desperately to hold onto his big space, fearful to go into little space around his family and facing their judgement, but those thoughts kept running and running around his head and suddenly-

he dropped hard and fast.

he whined, tears filling his eyes and he pulled his knees to his chest. he was so tired and lonely and just wanted his cow plushie and blanket and hugs. he bit harshly down on his bottom lip with the need to teeth. he was so cold and alone.

“tommy?”

the call of his name made him peek his head up slightly and find his dad looking at him with concern in the doorway. he whimpered, holding his hands up and making grabby motions. phil’s brows furrowed deeply as he approached his youngest, crouching down in front of him.

“what’s up, toms?”

he still couldn’t speak, too young to be able to verbally express what he wanted. he weakly made a grab at phil’s robe, his right thumb finding his mouth as tears overfilled his eyes.

“da,” he cried, startling his father who was quick to bring him into his lap and hold him. this was something phil had never seen in any of his kids or anyone he knew. tommy’s free hand nimbly grabbed his clothes and he shoved his head into phil’s shoulder.

“toms, are you okay?”

he shook his head with a hum behind his thumb. he really wasn't. he had been struggling for months, practically alone and hurting and no one took care of him. his brother had focused solely on taking l'manburg back, his best friend had to play spy and abide by anything schlatt asked, his other brother grinded materials and armor and potatoes most of the time, and everyone was against them. then he was hurt by techno, watched their father kill wilbur, then leave with techno into retirement, his best friend exiled him over a simple prank, no one visited him, and dream hurt him severely. 

months of trauma and months of not being able to cope with said trauma, he finally broke. he was tired. 

"hey, it's okay," phil said softly, pushing his messy blond hair out of the way. "techno!"

the slow smacking of boots on the wood floor alerted him that the hybrid heard him. his head poked through the doorway. 

"something's up with tommy and i can't get him to talk. i don't get what's wrong," phil admitted, gently rocking them. "he was just sitting here then started crying."

techno stepped further into the room, crouching down in front of them and tilting his head to look at his baby brother's face. 

tears were held in those slightly 

techno looked at his little brother in surprise, eyes slightly wide as he brushed a hand through his unruly blond hair, earning a pleased hum. “i know what he’s doing.”

phil turned to him with his eyebrows raised in surprise. “you do?”

techno nodded. “it’s called age regression.”

“how do you know about this?”

“i read up on different coping mechanisms during the start of the antarctica empire to find different ways to handle stress. this was one of them. i don’t do it, but… clearly tommy discovered it.”

phil hummed. “what does it mean?”

“it means he mentally regresses to that of a young child because of the trauma he suffered through. he lost part of his childhood because of… everything…”

phil felt his heart freeze and his stomach drop. he had done all he could as a single father raising three kids, but clearly he wasn’t perfect. he had kept tommy as safe as he could. he had protected his children as best as he could, but the second he had run away to join the dreamsmp and wilbur encouraged him to be part of a revolution, everything had been ruined and destroyed. relationships were severed, feelings were hurt, and minds were tainted with horrid memories.

but as he looked back on it, how much was he away from home? spending it mining and exploring with or without techno and leaving wil and tommy at home? how much time had been spent with techno more so than the other two? how often did he forget about them? what kind of childhood did he give them?

he would have to ask tommy the truth, or wilbur if he remembered any of it. he doubted tommy would want to talk badly about it and wilbur wouldn’t remember it, but he had to understand.

had to understand why tommy needed to resort to a time when things were safe and calm and better for him mentally.

“what do you do to help?”

techno shrugged. “we take care of him until he goes big again. that’ll happen if he mentally decides or he goes to bed and wakes up. he might not though, so don’t expect him to be his sixteen year old self, okay?”

phil nodded, still trying to wrap his mind around the situation and what’s going on as tommy sat curled up as close as he could, fingers grasping his robe.

“do you want me to handle this?” techno asked, head tilting towards phil.

normally techno would be the one insanely uncomfortable and unsure about the situation, but he seemed to be the one who knew the most, having read up a little bit on it. phil could’ve laughed at the role reversal, but instead swallowed roughly and nodded.

“come here, toms,” techno cooed, putting his hands on tommy’s sides and carefully coaxing him off of phil. he whined, hands clenching as tears threatened his eyes, but techno was quick to hold him close. he rocked back and forth to calm the kid, brushing his hand through his unruly blond hair, easing his quiet sobs into hiccups.

“hi, toms,” techno murmured, seeing the blond’s face peek out from his shoulder, tearstained and red.

he let out a little noise of acknowledgement, drooping, sad eyes gazing at his big brother.

“do you have anything for when you feel this way?” a hiccup and head shake and a face that implied more tears. “okay, okay. that’s okay, we’ll find some things for you. things have been a bit rough, huh?” a little head nod. “are you hungry at all?” another head shake and more clinging to phil. “do you just want cuddles?” a head nod. “okay, we can do cuddles.”

he brought the both of them onto the couch, resting on his back with tommy on his chest. his hands were slightly clutching the front of his clothes. he brought a blanket over them, tucking it close to keep them warm in the winter cabin. however, every few seconds tommy would shift and it was starting to get annoying when the boy wouldn’t find a comfortable spot.

“tommy, what’s wrong?” 

“i’sy,” he whined, pulling at his clothes. “no no.”

“you want to change?” techno interpreted, earning a little nod. “do you want to borrow some of my clothes? i’m sure they’d be extra big on you.”

at the idea of wearing his big brother’s clothes, tommy’s blue eyes lit up and he nodded his head excitedly. phil went to retrieve the comfiest clothes he knew techno had, trying his best to be helpful. the two wiggled tommy out of his normal clothes and pulled the oversized soft pink sweater over his head and tugged black sweatpants up his bony hips. 

he seemed much more content and relaxed in those clothes, not wriggling around as much when they laid down the second time.

for awhile it was just the fire crackling in the background as phil cleaned up the house a little and techno comforted his baby brother, entertaining himself with a book he had left on the side table of the couch.

“techie?” 

the little voice startled techno. he had thought tommy had fallen asleep on him ages ago, but it seemed like the kid was too mentally restless.

“yea, toms?”

"sen' me back?" he whispered fearfully, fists slightly clenching techno's shirt. 

maroon eyes blinked in confusion. "no, toms, i will never send you back."

“b… but techie mad,” tommy replied, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

that was when techno realized that he was specifically talking about earlier when he snapped, emotions riling up in him and he didn’t say the nicest things to the younger. he had been a complete ass and must’ve triggered the fear and thoughts of going back to logstenshire because he had been mad, an emotion that set tommy off because dream had used anger and disappointment to manipulate him. he hadn’t meant to.

“i’m not mad, bubba,” he muttered softly, pressing a kiss into the crown of his brother’s head. “i was upset and worried. your big self was being annoying as usually, but i would never send you back. phil and i will always take care of you.”

a pinky raised from his shirt into his view. “p’omise?” 

techno huffed, but freed his pinky and linked it with the boy’s. “promise. now, rest now, bubba. you’ve had a long day.”

he felt the boy slowly get heavier on his body and the comforting pressure nearly made him pass out along, but he had to make sure the kid got into his bed. they couldn’t wake up like this or tommy would freak out.

a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt before he called phil for help.

* * *

when he woke up the following morning, his head was a little fuzzy of memories as exhaustion swallowed his thoughts. his pushed his heavy body to sit up in bed and pull himself out from under the warm covers. he shivered slightly at the cold air that nipped at his skin instantly. 

he didn’t notice the change of clothes as he rubbed his sleepy eyes with a fist full of pink sweater.

he stumbled down the stairs and smelled delicious food, hearing chatter.

suddenly the sleep was gone from his mind as he instantly recollected what happened last night.

he slipped.

shit he slipped in front of his dad and brother.

he slipped so far he was barely vocal.

they knew.

“tommy.”

the voice made him freeze in his tracks, heart stopping as cold fear settled on his bones and in his lungs. he looked up and saw his father and older brother sitting at the kitchen table with coffee and breakfast in front of them. phil had a worried but soft gaze and techno was forever stoic, but his eyes were gentle and understanding.

“um…” tommy breathed out, trying to ease the anxiety clawing at his chest, but he knew what had happened. he had fallen into his little space, in front of his family, being clingy and annoying and hardly cooperative. he hadn’t even been able to explain much because he was so little and just wanted hugs.

“it’s okay, toms,” phil said softly. “come sit down and have breakfast. if you want to explain, you can, but if you don’t that’s okay. we will need to know how to properly take care of you though when you slip.”

tommy stared at both of them with wide eyes, shocked with the way they were handling the situation. he expected disgust and disappointment and hatred. he didn’t expect understanding, or more of it.

so he shuffled to the table and took a seat, quietly thanking phil for the cup of chocolate milk. it calmed him down and eased the stress a little. his stomach was churning too badly to have food, so he would forgo it for now until after the conversation.

“i think you deserve to know it all,” tommy admitted, hands playing with the condensation on the glass and avoiding their eyes.

“i told phil what you were doing and why, if it helps lessen your anxiety. he helped without hesitation,” techno commented, noticing the ease it did indeed put on the blond’s shoulder.

tommy nodded. “thanks… but yea i do it because it helps me get away from all the memories of everything, to just have a time i remember being good and short. i didn’t really know about it until before the election. i was so tired after we won independence and the nightmares were… constant i was so scared and wil was acting weird and tubbo was with schlatt and everyone was against us… i had dragged my brother’s bleeding body away from their arrows and into the ravine we found. reliving the thought kinda sent me into a safer space, a place that made me feel safe and away from the things that could hurt me.

“i only did it once or twice and never around anyone, so you’re the first to know. all i had was a stuffed cow niki made that i named henry in honor of my first pet here and a book that had nice pictures that eret made. they’re left under my bed in my house in the smp.”

“that’s why you nearly started crying when i asked you if you had anything?” techno questioned, worry flitting across his face.

tommy nodding, pushing his lips to the side in disdain. “i wasn’t able to get any of my things before being sent into exile. a dick move. no clothes, no nothing,” he answered. “last night, i just really wanted them and i couldn’t and it hurt. that’s why i was crying when phil found me.”

phil’s face pinched. “i’m sorry, mate.”

tommy shook his head. “not your fault. but i haven’t done it since we took back l’manburg. i was scared to do it around dream since he was constantly in logstenshire. i had a few slips, but they were right before i went to bed. i haven’t fully coped in awhile,” he explained, picking at his fingernails anxiously.

surprisingly, both their eyes enlarged in shock. “tommy, that’s dangerous!” techno exclaimed.

tommy winced, slouching down in his chair. “i know! but there was never a safe time or place and things were fine for a little, i was distracted by helping tubbo and l’manburg rebuild. i couldn’t… that’s why it was sudden last night and i’m sorry you had to go through that,” he replied, voice quieting down towards the end.

phil reached a hand out and slowly placed it on his shoulder, making sure not to startle the boy. “you have nothing to be sorry for. we are okay with taking care of you. i… i haven’t been the best father and i realize that, but i want you help you boys more. i want to be there for you, even if it’s being there for when you’re…”

tommy giggled. “little.”

phil smiled. “when you’re little, we both will help you however you need it.”

tommy stared at them. “really?” two confident nods were returned. he smiled shakily, emotions building in his throat. 

“of course,” techno said simply.

tommy had thought they were doing it out of pity or because they felt obligated. in actuality, it was because the two felt extremely guilty for leaving the boy on his own for so long. he had been abandoned so young, phil felt like utter shit for leaving his boy to defend himself at such an early age. not even techno or wilbur had to suffer so much as his age. 

and techno had been part of the trauma tommy had gone through with the withers and helping wilbur destroy the country they sought to regain and rebuild. he still hated government, but perhaps his way of trying to teach his brother a lesson about trust and loyalty did not go the way it should have. how many nightmares woke the kid up in the dead of night in a cold sweat as withers stared hauntingly at him? how much did he hear techno telling him to die like a hero echoing in his dreams?

they had to do this. they had to help him. they had to do something for him and to make him feel welcomed and loved, like he had a family that should’ve been there from the start and kept with him until the end.

fuck anarchy, fuck destruction, the kid in front of them was more important. or they would have another brother and son to bury and it broke their hearts at the thought.

* * *

(extra bit because i thought it was sweet :))

“hey, toms?” 

the blond perked his head up at the call, seeing phil and techno back from their trip to l’manburg. after the attempted execution of techno, tubbo ordered the call off after realizing that quackity had a personal vendetta against a harmless man who simply wanted to retire. so techno was allowed in l’manburg as long as phil or ghostbur were with him for the next three months as a sort of probation. techno didn’t mind.

“we got something for you. a little extra something from niki too,” phil replied, sitting down on the couch beside his youngest, holding out a knapsack for him. 

tommy hesitantly took it and undid the drawstrings. his eyes widened at the contents, mouth falling open. techno noticed the wiggling toes and clenching hands, a sign that he was regressing.

“mine?” tommy breathed, looking to phil for confirmation. the man merely nodded with a wide grin at the innocent voice. tommy took the items out of the bag, his plush henry and book clutched tightly to his chest.

“niki heard that they didn’t allow you anything from home and you missed tubbo, so she made you this,” phil added, pulling a bee plush out of his other knapsack. an excited squeal sounded through the room and tommy pulled the plush into the embrace he had with his objects.

“we’ll slowly get more stuff for you, bubba, but i hope this’ll be good for now?” techno asked warily, fearful that it wasn’t enough for the boy who had refrained from feeling comfort for months on end.

tommy nodded. “good, good,” he chanted, leaning against phil’s side. “fanks, papa.”

phil chuckled, running a hand through tommy’s unruly blond hair. “anytime, toms. anything you want or need, all you have to do is ask, okay?”

“happy happy happy. hen’y happy, tom happy, papa happy, techie happy,” he chanted, curling into his dad’s side. “all happy.”

“that’s right, bubba. we’re all happy and we’re going to stay happy,” phil promised softly, looking up at techno. the hybrid nodded.

against dream. against l’manburg. against anybody that came to harm their little.

they would stand there and fight to their last breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont hate dream. i actually do not like evil dream and want to punch the green bitch. please fix the green man.
> 
> also this is posted after tommy and tubbo fighting for their discs. ik what happened but won't say anything for spoilers but it's insane how much emotion is put into block boys fighting.
> 
> :) anyways enjoy! comments always welcomed! (as long as their positive or critiquing things!)


	3. Sweet Dreams (little!dream)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> request: Little dream? What if being the admin of such a big server and having so many people relying on him causes dream to regress, perhaps with Sam and Punz caregivers (set in the mc universe) , Pacifiers , blankets , stuffed animals and wearing his caregivers jumpers / clothes would be great! But anything little dream ( caregivers puffy and Niki or Phil and techno) :D (by Bean_Xo)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dream's age range is 2-3 
> 
> oh you have no idea how much i adore mom puffy but she disowned her duckling it makes my heart hurt :(( so! as a treat, i’m going to do a little bit for punz, sam, puffy, and phil and techno. also sorry for the cursing in advance, they are adults and they are valid words

“what the fuck?” 

punz jumped and turned quickly to face the man that had grown like a brother to him in the years they’ve known each other. the white mask was pushed to the side and his fingerless gloves were rubbing his face and through his hair, face pinched violently in frustration.

the shorter blond approached the taller, tilting his head to try and make eye contact. “dream?” 

the other furiously pushed at his eyes and wiped away something that punz couldn’t see, but by his shaking, it was tears that unwillingly rose with the sudden heightened emotions.

“hey, peanut, are you okay?” punz asked softly, putting his axe on his belt and rubbing both of dream’s arms comfortingly. peanut was the name punz used on the younger when he was little, or to get him to be little, almost like a trigger word. dream wasn’t happy when he figured out it was like a snap because there were times when dream couldn’t and wouldn’t regress because he was needed. he had to oversee a project, he had to make sure something wasn’t burned down, he had to make sure conflict stayed minimum. 

but with two teenagers who ran rampant, a president of a country that wasn’t really a country and was more like a drug cartel, others who followed the man, and his friends who wanted the drama to occur, it was practically impossible to have a calm day, let alone have any time to himself.

punz noticed, since he was one of few who knew of dream’s regression. his heart broke when his friend explained what he did months back, seeing as no one knew anything about dream’s past and the mixture of what was going on in his own world did not help his mental state.

like at the moment, where the two were merely building a farm and dream was slowly becoming frustrated with the misplacement of a block or something interrupting their work. punz didn’t see much of a problem because they had to deal with that stuff every day, but the build up of stress and anxiety must’ve set him off.

dream shook his head, still hiding his face behind his hands and his shoulders hunching into himself to make himself smaller.

“peanut, it’s okay,” punz cooed, bringing the boy close into an embrace. he hushed him gently and rubbed his back. “i know things have been tough lately, buddy, i know, but you should tell me so i can help you, okay? you’re not alone.”

“yes am,” he heard the other mutter upset. 

“no, no, no you’re not, silly,” punz softly replied. 

“yes am. no do things good and they leave,” he hiccuped.

“no one has left you, dreamy. you do things very well, you just get a little tired because of the chaos that goes on. you can take a break, peanut. it’s okay,” punz reassured.

“but busy~” he whined desperately, remembering the things he still had to do for the server, headspace fluctuating.

but his caregiver wasn’t going to let that happen, hushing him. “no, no, peanut. you need some you time, yea? i haven’t seen you in weeks! why don’t we put a pause on this for tomorrow and just go relax, yea? i’m sure your stuffies miss you.”

dream nodded hesitantly into his shoulder.

“peanut, how old are you? you a big boy, or baby boy?” punz inquired, pushing the little back and wiping the tears of his finally exposed face. his poor baby had the reddest cheeks and the most upset look on the planet. would’ve stabbed him to the core if looks could hurt physically.

two fingers hesitantly popped up as he began to bite the end of his other arm’s sleeve. punz didn’t have anything else to chew on like a pacifier, so he let the boy and took his free hand, guiding the stumbling little one back to the little admin’s house where most of his gear was. it was an unspoken rule between the few who knew to bring dream to his house when he regressed for the sake of his safety and comfort.

“does dreamy wanna wear his fluffy pajamas?” punz inquired as he rifled through the designated drawer of clothes.

“fish fish fish,” dream chanted from his spot on the bed criss cross applesauce, holding a cat plushie in his arms.

punz chuckled. “fish it is! what an excellent choice, peanut,” he praised, earning a little giggle. 

after changing dream from his jeans and sweatshirt and into his fish pajamas that had little tropical fish scattered along soft baby blue cloth with sleeves that went past his fingertips, punz tugged the blankets and watched the little scurry under the covers. 

a smile lit up the caregiver’s face as he took a few other toys and gears, holding them up for his little to choose what he wants. grabby hands went to a soft green pacifier and a blue, red, and green stitched blanket. each color represented the dream team, his best friends. punz handled them over after receiving a little please, before he pushed his shoes off and slid into the bed beside dream, who instantly curled up beside him.

“very clingy today, are we?” the blond cackled, brushing his fingers through dirty blond hair and curling the locks around his fingers. he earned a little hum as the little relaxed into the mattress.

“punzie,” dream murmured, opening his eyes slightly and reaching a hand out to his own. absently he began playing with the appendage and punz let him, doing whatever he needed to do to feel better.

“do you need anything else, peanut?” he got a head shake at that, surprising him. he thought the kiddo would want some angel milk or apple juice or a bedtime story or something, but he was content with merely sitting in near silence playing with his hands.

and he was okay with that.

“i love you, peanut.”

“love you, punzie.”

* * *

puffy was changing out old flowers that were rotting away for new flowers in the front of hers and niki’s shop when multiple people walked passed. she noticed many l’manburgians and a few of those from the mainland. then she noticed a straggler that caught her eye and it wasn’t because of his lime green hoodie or the fact that he was alone.

it was the fact that he looked utterly exhausted, hunched over and ready to lose his shit.

“hi, duckling,” she greeted as he paused by her.

he perked up a little bit at the nickname. like punz, she had dubbed him her little duckling after he had followed her around while she was getting supplies. he had accidentally regressed and his mind saw her as safe and protector, so he followed her around in the headspace of a three year old, helping her hold and collect stuff. he had apologized afterwards and explained, but she had embraced it wholeheartedly, accepting the role as his mama duck.

“what’s up? why do you look so down in the dumps?” she questioned, wishing that stupid mask wasn’t blocking her view of his emotions.

“we had… we had a meeting about treaties and whatnot and l’manburg is just… they’re asking for a lot and i… i have to refrain from… from giving them everything, but it’s hard… they don’t listen sometimes and it was long… we started this morning,” he rambled, struggling to talk without stumbling over his words. she could tell he was slipping from the amount of stress from the meeting that ran nearly a quarter of the day.

“you were in there for that long?” puffy asked incredulously, earning a small nod. “you hungry, little duckling?”

he shrugged, too much on the mentally exhausted side to really answer her or even think about his stomach. his eyes were hurting from being in a darkish room for too long, then leaving and being greeted by the bright ass sun. his brain couldn’t think about anything besides his stuffies and building blocks, which did not take as much thought process as creating treaties. he was so frustrated and tired from everyone not listening to him and just demanding whatever they wanted. he was talked over and ignored several times over and it made him insanely upset.

he was surprised he didn’t slip faster with how riled up he got.

“why don’t we get you some goldfish and apple juice, eh?” puffy offered, holding her hand out. “and then we can bake to relax a little.”

he nodded wordlessly, taking her hand and letting her guide him to his house. she aimlessly talked about this and that, noticing that he was not verbal due to his exhausted mental state.

once they arrived at his house, he shuffled to his room to change into comfier clothes as she grabbed ingredients and began to prepare to bake.

“puff!” she heard him exclaim, turning her attention to him and bursting into amused giggles. 

he was standing in the doorway shuffling dark grey sweatpants covered legs and playing with the sleeves of his new hoodie. said hoodie was yellow with a front pocket and a hood that had a duck face on it. in the corner of his torso was a little duck symbol too. 

he truly was her little duckling.

“oh my gosh, little one, that is absolutely adorable! when did you get this?” she asked, going up to him and brushing his hair out of his eyes. 

“asked eret,” he answered bashfully, “said they knew how sew.”

puffy beamed, cupping his face. “that’s awesome! did you thank them?” she received an enthusiastic nod. “that’s good. do you want some fish and juice now?” 

he nodded, taking her hand and tugging her to the kitchen. her smile hurt her cheeks and her eyes were nearly closed with how giddy she was, but she didn’t care. as long as her little duckling was happy, so was she.

and if they were covered in flour and icing by the end of it and had to sadly wash the beloved duck sweatshirt, waiting up all night for it to wash and dry, she would gladly spend the time with her dreamling.

* * *

phil and techno were walking around the tundra having come back from a hunt for food and to trade in the village, when they heard concerning whines and cries coming from within the forest. it didn’t sound like an animal, which confused them because no one else ever came out into one of the coldest parts of the world. so they went to investigate and were shocked to find a peek of bright green peeking out from behind trees, trembling against the white snow.

techno slowly rounded the tree and found his rival and friend curled up on the cold ground with his hood over his head and his hands over his ears.

“dream?”

his head peeked up a little, sniffles escaping the other. techno noted his red rimmed eyes and the tear tracks on his cheeks.

phil came up and stood beside techno, tilting his head at the one on the ground, before kneeling before the man who curled tightly up in a ball, slightly fearful look on his surprisingly exposed face.

“hey, dream. what you doing all the way out here?” phil asked as though he were talking to a scared animal, which, in the situation, dream mimicked one too easily. it was the complete opposite of his usually confident persona.

“lost,” he whined, pulling his sleeves up and chewing on the one. his voice was higher pitched than normal, setting off alarm bells in their heads. 

techno furrowed his eyebrows at the odd behavior as phil continued his questions to understand what was going on. “how did you get lost? were you looking for something?”

he shook his head slowly. “was walkin’ an’ thinkin’, but… but don’t ‘member way back,” he admitted lowly. “so got sad.”

“you got sad because you don’t remember the way back to the portal?” techno reiterated, earning a little nod. the hybrid looked back to his father, eyes begging for answers.

phil smiled softly at him with a knowing look in his eyes, before looking back at dream. “how old are you, dream?”

his eyes bounced around for a second, like he was physically searching for the answer, before two fingers appeared from the sleeve not being gnawed on. techno couldn’t help the emotions showing on his face, beyond lost in the situation.

“dream’s a little regressor,” phil explained, holding his hand out to the boy. he took it, sleeve still over his hand and phil helped him up on wobbly legs. he seemed to instantly trust the man who was the father/grandfather of the server. “in states of extreme emotion or the inability to cope, they cope through going back to a mental state when things were better for them. stress is an inducer sometimes accidentally or they can willingly regress. dream seemed to have accidentally slipped.”

“so… he’s mentally a kid right now?” techno asked, tilting his head slightly.

“yea,” phil answered, “and he should have a caregiver right?” he turned the question to the little.

dream nodded excitedly. “sam! sam! sam!” he chanted, earning a little chuckle from phil. techno was still unsure about his friend’s mental state or how to handle him while he was so different.

“sam’s your caregiver?” 

“yea an’... an’ puff an’ punzie,” he added, fiddling with his sleeves. “bu’ wan’ sam, p’ease.”

“okay, let’s head back to the portal and we’ll take you over to sam okay?” phil suggested.

techno pulled out his communicator. “i’ll see where he is,” he announced, knowing it was the one thing he could handle. sam was quick to respond, saying he was with tubbo in l’manburg and asking why. sam was a neutral party amongst the wars and sides to pick, so he had no quarrels with techno, but it wasn’t often than the hybrid texted him. techno explained as best as he could, saying dream was ‘little’ according to phil. sam was quick to send a text saying to immediately come to him with no detours (dream had a habit of straying from wherever he was going because of his adhd, focusing on a completely different task accidentally). 

“sam says he’s in l’manburg and to bring dream there with no detours,” techno announced to phil, who was wiping away the dry tear tracks off dream’s face and asking simple questions to keep him occupied. 

“good! that’s not too far,” phil said, then his face downcasted. “i’m sorry you can’t come with, techno.”

the hybrid waved him off. “it’s fine. i’ll start dinner back home and have it ready when you come back. just… you’ll have to explain more of this later.”

phil chuckled. “of course.” he turned back to dream. “come on, little one. let’s get you back home, eh?”

dream nodded furiously, then waved to techno as they started walking. “bye, bye, tech’o!” 

techno waved back hesitantly, but the action still put a smile on the boy’s face, before he faced forward and began adamantly talking to phil about something. it was still odd and techno couldn’t wrap his head around it, but he hoped that once phil got back and when dream was mentally 21 again, he’d have more understanding of what it all meant. he didn’t want to be clueless or an asshole about it. dream was his friend, his rival to the people, but his genuine friend that he cared for. if it ever happened again, he wanted to be ready next time. 

phil had to carefully guide the mentally two year old boy across the makeshift bridge over to the more stable one that lead to the main portal in the nether while the boy was talking nonsense about this and that. he talked about his latest adventures with george and sapnap, his latest creations with punz and sam, and the last time he went flower picking with puffy and found a bunch of friendly bees. one even sat on his head the whole time!

phil was amused by the storytelling, recalling that dream offhandedly mentioned his love for stories and creating them. even when he was mentally young, he was still extremely good with storytelling. it made things a little difficult guiding and directing him, but he complied easily and resumed instantly afterwards. 

the two made it through the nether, dream tugging phil along the path, urging him to quickly find sam. 

"phil!" they heard tubbo exclaim excitedly, both turning to find tubbo, tommy, and sam standing on top of the prime path by tommy's house. 

"sam!" dream cried out happily. 

sam chuckled, quickly making his way down the stairs as phil went up. phil went to intercept the two boys as sam went to the little. tommy and tubbo didn't know, so sam sent the older man a grateful look as they passed. 

"sam! sam!" dream giggled, wrapping his arms around the man's torso, head pushing into his chest. 

"hi, little bean," he greeted. "what happened? are you okay?"

dream pulled back, playing with the fabric of sam's shirt. "got lost an'... an' didn't know how get back, so got upset." his emerald green eyes looked up at the taller, apologetic and upset. "didn't mean to! swear it!"

sam sighed, running his hand through unruly dirty blond hair. "i know, little bean. it happens sometimes, i know. i'm glad phil and techno found you. when techno texted me, i got so worried, but i'm glad you're okay!"

dream nodded furiously. "sam play p'ease?" 

"you want to go play? we can go play. why don't we get you changed? you must be a little cold from being in the snow. i can make you a hot cocoa as a treat," sam offered, taking his hand and pulling him the opposite direction of phil, tommy and tubbo. 

"yes! like that an'... an' draw an' play blocks?" dream asked, tugging on sam’s sleeve and biting his own again. sam was grateful it wasn’t his thumb, but it still needed to be replaced before he ruined his sleeves with how often he did that without something practical to gnaw on.

“of course. we can do whatever it is you want, little bean. you were very brave today!” sam praised, earning flared cheeks and a bashful look.

“nuh uh. i… i cry when foun’,” he admitted, shrinking into himself.

“but you listened to phil and you let him help you,” sam argued, bopping his nose and receiving a giggle. “you got back here because you were a very brave boy and you can’t change my mind.”

dream nodded, accepting the compliments and beginning to talk about what he talked about with phil since sam didn’t know yet about his adventures with george and sapnap. sam said the right things at the right moments, encouraging the little to continue.

when they got to dream’s house, sam pulled dream’s hoodie off and took his own off. he set the larger sweatshirt on the little and watched him bury his nose into the fabric, sleeves going past his fingertips.

“thank, sam!” he cheered, smiling bright.

“of course, little bean. i’m going to make the hot cocoa while you play, okay?” he announced, earning a nod before he turned to the kitchen. he heard the box of blocks shift and a multitude of them bash and fall against the carpet. the steady sound of wood on wood told him that dream was still there as he made two cups of hot chocolate.

and if they had to wait half an hour for it to cool off before dream could drink it, sam would gladly wait and put a straw in so he didn’t have to try picking it up. 

and if they spent too much time on building just for it all to collapse when patches bumped slightly into it, sam would gladly encourage them to do it again.

and if he couldn’t get the riled up little to sleep until well past his usual bedtime and had to wrap both of them in a blanket on the couch with a show playing, sam would gladly hum a small tune and play with dirty blond hair to ease the little to sleep.

* * *

“just say that you hate me.”

but dream didn’t. he wasn’t going to say that he hated his best friends. how could he hate the two he was trying so desperately to protect against the rest of the smp? the reason he was doing everything was for them, for peace, for how it was back when they first created the community house, when they first started a farm, or went fishing or joked around with sam, callahan and alyssa. to a time where wars were the last things on their mind, when they didn’t have to look over their shoulders as they walked around. 

“george, i-”

sapnap stepped between them, brows furrowed and dark eyes set into an icy glare. “i think you’ve said enough, dream,” he snapped, ignoring the small flinch he received at the harsh tone directed at the masked man.

dream opened his mouth to say more, he deserved to explain to them, but sapnap wrapped an arm around george’s shoulders and pulled both of them away from their… from dream, leaving the man to stand there alone and lost.

he didn’t want to lose his friends. he didn’t want to lose his family. he did nothing so wrong that they abandoned him. he never once put anything above them. he saved them from the death threats and hatred that came with being in the royal court, but they didn’t see that. they thought he had retracted a gift given to george.

being king wasn’t a gift. it was a curse that george was not able to handle. he thought the older male would be able to, but his expectations were a little too high. 

so he brought him back to where he belonged. not being ruler, not having to worry about serious decisions, not having to be anything but himself.

still. he was hated and turned away from.

his chest wouldn’t expand to let his lungs grasp the oxygen he so desperately needed. his eyes were blurring and everything was spinning. his legs were weak and shaky as he couldn’t focus on anything besides being alone. being abandoned. being hurt. he didn’t do anything wrong! nothing!

and he couldn’t handle thinking about the future in the state he was in, so he accidentally slipped. his panic attack downgraded to quiet cries with a trembling jaw and shaky limbs. he wanted his friends, he wanted a hug, he was so cold. 

he stumbled along the prime path, searching for someone, anyone.

“p… punz?” he whined out, head turning to and fro around the area. nothing but the occasional bee.

“pu… puffy?” he cried louder, voice quaking with overwhelming emotions.

no one was coming. he was all alone.

“sam?” he muttered, dropping into the grass in front of the water by the community house. he tucked his knees up and let the tears fall as he watched the fish swim idly around the water. they had friends. they had other fish to be with. but he had no one. he wanted to be like the fish. he didn’t want to be alone anymore.

his one sleeve went up to his mouth, muffling his cries and giving him a small amount of comfort that he couldn’t find anywhere else. 

“dream?” 

he hunched closer into himself, trying not to give away that he was crying. they wouldn’t like that he was crying so openly and they would find out that he hadn’t been on his best behavior and he wouldn’t get nice things like cookies or cuddles. he was going to be in trouble.

but bodies suddenly surrounded him, a delicate hand coming up to push his mask aside. he shook his head and buried his face into his knees.

“dreamy?” the person with the delicate hand cooed, fingers crushing through his hair. they instantly noticed how hard he was trembling under their touch. “what’s wrong, little duckling?” 

he shook his head again, shoulders hitching slightly as a hiccup escaped his mouth. they didn’t really care. they probably weren’t even there! they were probably just his imagination! there was no other explanation. no one wanted to be around him.

“peanut, how are we supposed to help you if you won’t tell us what’s wrong?” 

he sniffled, head peeking out slightly. red rimmed, full of pain, green eyes appeared, startling all of them with how hurt and destroyed he looked. he took it as mad or disappointed in him, looking away quickly to the grass below him. 

“s… sap an’... an’ gogy left,” he whispered, voice cracking towards the ends as tears renewed in his eyes. 

“they left you?” 

he nodded slightly. “i… gogy thinks hate him, but… but don’t,” he continued. “an’ no want anymore. no one wants me anymore.”

“little bean,” someone cooed, wrapping their arms around him and pulling him into their chest. “you’re wanted. we want you. the whole world wants you! i don’t know what i would do with myself if i didn’t have you.”

“but… but sap-” he whined, fingers digging into the sweatshirt rubbing against him.

“he’ll come around. i’m sure he was just angry or something,” they reassured, wiping away his stray tears. “we’ll talk to them later. for now, let’s get you inside, okay?”

he nodded, arms going around their neck as they picked up him bridal style. he buried his face into their shoulder.

“hey, peanut?” he turned his head to see a blurry punz smiling softly at him. “you know we all love you right? we want you here with us forever, okay?”

he blinked. “really?” he muttered.

puffy giggled, earning his attention. “of course. there’s no one else who could be my little duckling.”

he smiled sheepishly as he rested his head back against sam’s chest.

the four of them walked the distance to dream’s house and instantly got to work soothing the little. puffy had snagged a sweatshirt from punz’s closet on their way to dream’s and helped the little change into it, along with a pair of fluffy socks and soft black sweatpants. sam was making grilled cheeses for all of them and punz was collecting things, like blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, pacifier, chewing necklace and some sensory toys. they worked in near perfect rhythm.

puffy came back with dream in tow, the little blushing when punz made a joke about how that sweatshirt looks awfully familiar. 

“like you don’t have enough of the same sweatshirt,” sam retorted the tease, setting a finished sandwich on a plate.

“you don’t know. that could be my favorite one,” punz defended playfully, fluffing a pillow up.

puffy rolled her eyes, tugging the little to the couch. his eyes lit up at the sight of all the things punz had retrieved, snatching a soft green pacifier and a duck stuffed animal that had crinkly wings he fidgeted with. puffy brought him to lean against her chest, letting her idly twirl his hair around her finger. her heart warmed when she heard him sigh contently behind the pacifier. 

punz and sam came around twenty minutes later both with two plates of grilled cheese, but sam had two bottles of water, while punz had one and a sippy cup of juice. they set everything on the coffee table in front of the couch and dream dropped from his spot against puffy to sit on the ground. the others followed and soon they were all eating and talking, dream very little because he was focused on chewing his food.

“thank, sam,” he said when he was all done eating, hands going back to playing with the duck.

“you’re welcome, little bean,” the older replied with a soft smile and ruffling his hair. “puffy and i are going to clean this up, why don’t you and punz make a nice little spot for us to all cuddle on?”

the little nodded excitedly, pulling punz towards the pile of blankets and pillows the man had made earlier. the two worked on making a comfortable nest, dream pouting when a blanket was thrown over his head playfully by the older and puffing his cheeks in annoyance as his hair stuck up. punz laughed, before getting a pillow smacked (not quite hard as expected) on the chest. the little giggled, hugging the pillow back to his chest.

“oh dreamy~” punz sung, earning the little’s innocent eyes on him. “i’ve got a little… tingle in my fingers…”

dream’s eyes widened. “no!” he cried, scrambling up, but punz was faster, tackling him onto the nest and pulling the pillow away. he threw it away and began his tickle attack on the little, earning those little giggles that were insanely contagious. 

“if you don’t stop soon, the name pissbaby is going to move onto his little state too,” puffy warned as they reentered the room.

punz relented, popping a kiss on dream’s forehead obnoxiously before releasing the little. dream took a moment to catch his fast pace breaths, then he pushed himself up and pulled puffy and sam down eagerly. 

“sit, sit!” he cried, weakly tugging on their arms.

“gotta put a movie in first, silly,” sam responded, earning a released arm, but puffy wasn’t so lucky. she tumbled into the nest of blankets and pillows, letting the little curl into her again with a blanket over both of them. punz took the other side of puffy while sam slipped in the lion king. the mam dimmed the lights and settled on dream’s other side. the little took his arm around his started playing with his fingers, duck plushie under his arm with the pacifier back in his mouth. puffy was below him with punz’s arm around her shoulders. 

the small surrogate family would do anything for their little.

but most importantly they would do anything for each other forever and always…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a lot longer than expected


	4. A Little Bit of a Problem (little!wilbur)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what about little wilbur and cg phil, with wilbur having a headspace of 1-3? and for the prompt, maybe hes having trouble with work so phil helps him regress. ty for reading and have a nice day :) (by baddest_bitch)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes yes yes yes
> 
> sorry this one is sort of shorter. they might get shorter or longer depending on how far i can roll with the story. i liked this one though, might have a part two idk. i pushed to 2k words to add stuff
> 
> I do hope you enjoy though, baddest_bitch!
> 
> (also dream streamed today and i could listen to that man talk for hours, i dont care what about, but i miss him)

wilbur heard the discord call go off for the fifth time in the last ten minutes, but still he hit the decline button, before minimizing it and going back to editing his latest vod. it was a challenge involving a hundred people being bees and having to collect ‘honey’ which was just orange and yellow pieces of wool throughout the map and if they didn’t work, well he wasn’t the admin for nothing. elody had done her part, but now it was his to add touches here and there.

he was so close to finishing it and yet another call came through, much to his annoyance. finally, he picked up the call to tell them off, but before he could open his mouth-

“have you eaten, will?”

wilbur snapped his mouth shut, pushing his mouth to the side. “phil, i really can’t talk right now. i’m almost finished with this video,” he answered, completely avoiding the question. in actuality, wilbur hadn’t realized what time it was and hadn’t eaten since twelve hours ago before he went to sleep.

“will, you’ve been working on videos and streams all week. you need to take a break. have you even showered?” phil asked, concern dripping from his voice like the parental figure he was.

wilbur rolled his eyes. he took a small bath yesterday thank you very much. “i’m fine, phil. don’t you have a stream to set up?”

“i’m not falling for that. i’m worried about you, mate. i know how you are.” wilbur clenched his jaw, thinking how much he wished phil didn’t know so much about him, yet insanely grateful someone had noticed. that didn’t mean he was okay with it completely. “last time you ate? slept? drank water?”

“yesterday, yesterday and i have a bottle on my desk, can i please go back?” wilbur replied, voice exasperated.

“will…” phil trailed, making wilbur’s hackles rise. that voice meant realization and nothing ever good came from that. “it’s nearly five at night. you haven’t eaten all day?” 

wilbur shook his head, then realized their cameras weren’t on, but he couldn’t verbally answer. it was like disappointing a parent and you hadn’t even done it intentionally. guilt suddenly clawed at his chest.

“okay,” phil said simply, silence his answer.

wilbur heard the jangle of keys and the fumbling around. “phil? what are you doing?”

“i’m coming over, mate,” phil said from the distance. “i’m bringing kristen too.”

“phil, no, don’t-”

“wilbur, when was the last time you regressed?”

his cheeks suddenly flared as the words died in his throat. phil had known about him regressing because he felt comfortable enough to tell someone so important in his life about something that affected him. the stress was great many days between streaming, uploading, and facing the fans on the internet. he got severely worked up and the only way he felt safe and better was when he was little.

but like every other self care you’re supposed to go through on a daily, he didn’t do that. he hadn’t done it in weeks and he felt the ache in his bones and the numbness in his head from all the emotions building up and hurting him.

he had told kristen and phil when everything had gotten to be too much, after a situation with a fellow content creator and having done a lot of writing for the smp lore, he was completely exhausted and stressed that people weren’t going to like it and his relationship with the other content creator would break apart. he had slipped and cried, curling up in his chair and fingers gripping his hair in a panic. 

phil and kristen had been so patient with him, despite not completely understanding what was happening. they carefully eased him, kristen using many pet names and striking with one that eased wilbur enough to focus his attention back on them. they reassured him that everything was going to be okay and that he was smart and wonderful and kind. he would figure it out and if he needed time for the lore, he could take it, everyone would understand, and if anyone hated it, phil would personally beat the shit out of them for hurting his kid.

wilbur let out a watery giggle, biting his thumb bashfully. they asked him if he had anything to make him feel better and he pulled out a pacifier and a shark whale plushie. they stayed with him on call until he was fast asleep in his bed. 

the following morning, wilbur was horrified, but the couple were quick to reassure him that it was okay, that they did their research about it all night and were completely okay with the coping mechanism. no one really knew wilbur’s history, but he never talked about his family or childhood, so they had some ideas. the attachment to the couple and using the SBI dynamic in real life spoke volumes.

they didn’t mind it and became his caretakers since they weren’t too far from him in brighton, taking care of him when he slipped and wanted to talk on vc. phil would even end his streams if wilbur was distress and wanted a call, but the kid was good at making sure to wait for phil to be done if he wasn’t upset.

or he would cancel a whole stream to care for wilbur.

they knew wilbur had a habit of forgetting to take care of himself and would often force a call on and help him slip, but there hadn’t been a time when wilbur downright refused to regress and was too stubborn to listen to phil. it was a new situation and phil coming to visit was new, spiking wilbur’s anxiety slightly.

“right, we’re on our way.”

the call ended, leaving wilbur to slump in his chair and stare at his unfinished video. well it was practically finished he supposed. elody had done a fantastic job and he was a nit picker, finding the odds no one else would really see unless they watched the video a million times over.

he left it alone for now, saving it and shutting down his whole computer. phil and kristen would be over soon and he would have to face his ‘parents’ about the issues he was hiding from everyone. 

he didn’t fully slip as he sat there with a soft yellow baby blanket in his lap. he was teetering, but didn’t fully slip. he might need to open the door for the couple and act normal in front of his housemates.

another reason he hadn’t slipped was because they didn’t really have boundaries, even if he told them not to enter. he enjoyed them, but sometimes they were too much. he’d have to figure something out later.

“will! you got visitors!” one of his housemates yelled up the stairs.

“send them up!” wilbur called back, pushing his voice to be deep and not light when he was little, or on the verge.

his door creaked open, gaining his attention. kristen and phil peeked in, small smiles on their lips. kristen had her bag and was wearing a sweatshirt with sweatpants, while phil was in his batman pajama pants and his hardcore shirt. wilbur was grateful they were comfortable enough to wear whatever when visiting, especially since he’d probably beg for cuddles.

he definitely was  _ not _ touch starved.

he was scared of them being disappointed or angry at him, so he looked down, unable to look into their eyes. his shoulders hunched over and his legs pressed close together.

“hey, bubba,” phil greeted, approaching with kristen and both kneeling before his chair. his fingers still fidgeted with the blanket in his lap. “how old are you feeling, kiddo?”

wilbur kept his gaze down and held up two fingers.

“we got a small boy today, huh?” phil said, glancing at his wife.

“shy little boy, too. what’s up? how are you today, pumpkin?” kristen asked, hand reaching up to curl around his hair and play idly with it. 

wilbur hummed, enjoying the feel and relishing in the nickname he only heard from kristen, adoring it. it sent him a little deeper into littlespace, but not quite what he wanted. 

to be fair he didn’t really want it, trying to finish as much work as possible, but he knew he needed it. obviously phil did too and brought his wife as a reinforcement.

he liked when kristen was around while he was regressed.

“tired,” he admitted lowly.

“yea? why don’t we get you some angel milk and a few plushies and hop on into to bed?” kristen suggested softly, earning a little excited nod. “oh! i also got you a little something for working so hard these last few weeks.”

wilbur perked at the idea of receiving a gift. he doesn’t remember ever getting a gift for when he was little. he had bought all of his gear himself; his whale shark plushie, his yellow blanket, all of his sensory toys, pacifiers and cups were specifically bought by him. but kristen and phil got him something. his parents got him something. 

wilbur sat up, excitedly looking up at them, earning amused chuckles. kristen held her bag opened and phil pulled out a blue sheep plushie that reminded him of the sheep from the dream smp. wilbur gasped, eyes lighting up with excitement as he held his hands out, making grabbing motions. phil put the stuffie in his hands and watched as the younger carefully held it, before hugging it close to his chest. 

“thank,” he muttered into the blue fabric. 

“you’re welcome, kiddo,” phil responded. “now, come on. in to bed you go.”

wilbur stood on shaky legs and grabbed kristen’s hand, pulling her towards his unmade bed with his new friend and yellow blanket in his arms. she giggled, allowing him to tug her while phil grabbed a few more blankets and went to the little light up ball that lit up a soft yellow, turning it on before snatching a sippy from the bin and shuffling down the stairs. wilbur’s housemates had been leaving at the time they were arriving, so he could safely fill the sippy cup with angel milk and warm it up without questions asked.

phil went back up the stairs and stopped at the door, smiling softly at the scene before him. he found wilbur curled up with his new plushie and a blue and white pacifier in his mouth. his box of little stuff was sitting in the open from where it normally was under his bed, indicating that kristen had drug it out and helped the little chose what he wanted. 

phil turned off the light with a smile, moving to the bed and laying the extra blankets over the two, before slipping in himself. wilbur sighed, humming when phil handed him the sippy cup full of warm milk, content with his position between mumza and dadza. he slowly drank as he buried his face close to phil’s chest, feeling kristen’s hand combing through his hair with the tips of her fingers to not scratch his skull with her nails. their hands were linked over top of his waist and the added pressure felt nice. 

the whole thing was nice. the dimmed room with his favorite light up, squashed in both physical and emotional warmth from the two he saw as his parental figures with a new stuffie, something he got for being good, with the pressures and stress off of his fragile mind.

he slipped his eyes shut and fell asleep to phil and kristen’s soft talking.

and weeks afterwards, he would get little gift boxes with little things, like the occasional stuffie, or blanket, or pacifier and his heart warmed at each little hand written message from phil and kristen and he thanked them a million times over vc while in his little headspace.

“always, mate,” phil would reply with the softest voice and kindest eyes.

“anything for you, pumpkin,” kristen would coo, arms around her husband as they watched wilbur ramble on excitedly.


	5. Baby Bee (little!tubbo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awwwww my heart!!!! I loved how you wrote this chapter it's so cute! Amazing characterization! Makes me hurt but makes me happy! Could I request one with little Tubbo? Maybe him having a nightmare of his time with Schlatt and getting lots of cuddles and comfort from maybe Quackity who knew how bad Schlatt was? If not I will still be here to read whatever else you write! You're quite talented! <3 (by Key)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here you go, Key! 
> 
> I tried adding more because the first part was what i had but that was it so i felt bad and added a little more :)
> 
> i'll try getting more stories in, but i have sudden uni pressure and mother dearest is not helping, so i hope i can get you guys at least one story a week like i promised!

quackity was strumming his guitar idly by his fireplace. it had been an exhausting day of helping tubbo with presidential jobs, keeping dream at bay, and spending time with his fiances. he was tired and just wanted some down time. his guitar soothed him unlike anything else.

it was peaceful and calm until he heard a shuffle and sniffle. he turned his head fast to the doorway, finding tubbo in an oversized green sweater with baggy black sweatpants and a bee plushie clutched tightly in his arms. tears were falling from his red rimmed, fearful eyes and his entire body was quaking.

“tubbo?” 

he sniffled, whining and closing his eyes, shoving his face into his bee.

“aw, buddy,” quackity cooed, standing, setting his guitar down and rushing to tubbo. the kid practically fell into the older teen’s chest, quietly sobbing and shaking violently. quackity held him tightly, gently hushing him and rubbing his back.

quackity knew about tubbo’s coping mechanism to regress to a younger age. it hadn’t been on purpose, but tubbo doesn’t regret quackity finding out. it had been during the era of schlatt and the man had drunkenly yelled at the kid and pushed him forcefully out of his office. it had made tubbo’s emotions wild and he slipped, hiding in his room and crying over the adult he thought was his role model. what a lie.

quackity found him a few hours later, humming to a jukebox song and holding his bee plush. a yellow pacifier sat in his mouth. it startled and confused quackity, but after comforting him until he fell asleep and then receiving an explanation when tubbo was bigger, quackity was understanding. tubbo reassured that he didn’t often do it and, when he did, he was fine to be alone for the few hours he was regressed. it didn’t really reassure quackity, but if the kid was okay without anyone, that was fine by him.

but there were those times when tubbo really needed someone and it was when he had nightmares, specifically nightmares about their time being in schlatt’s cabinet. without fail, tubbo came to quackity’s house, little, scared and full of tears. quackity didn’t hesitate to wrap him up in a blanket and snuggle on the couch.

so, like any other time, quackity settled tubbo on the couch with a blanket and he went to the kitchen. quackity had bought some sippy cups for the times like this, so he pulled one out with a dark grey lid and a yellow body, filling it with angel milk and warming it up.

once finished, he brought it back out to his living room. tubbo was still on the verge of tears, but they had stopped falling continuously. 

“hey, baby bee,” quackity cooed, sitting the boy up and leaning him against his side. “here, i got something to make you feel better, yea?”

tubbo hummed graciously as he took the sippy cup, drinking lethargically. quackity brought him close to his side, playing with his slowly growing brown hair. he watched his brown eyes slowly slipping shut as he hummed softly, the vibrations flowing through both of their bodies. 

“do you wanna talk about it, bee?” quackity asked softly.

tubbo took the cup from his mouth, big, brown eyes gazing up at the elder. “s’latt… s’latt hurt tommy an’... an’ you an’ wilbah an’ everyone. i not do anything to help,” he explained shortly.

quackity hushed him as more tears appeared, rocking them slowly back and forth. “it’s okay, baby bee. it’s okay. you’re okay now. schlatt is gone. he’s not here anymore. i’m here and fundy is here and tommy’s here. we’re not letting him get you again. he can’t. never ever,” he reassured softly, rubbing the kid’s forearm.

“bu’- bu’-”

“no buts,” quackity cut off. “dreams aren’t real. they can’t hurt you. schlatt’s gone. forever. caput.” quackity added a little gesture where he threw his head back with his tongue out, earning a watery giggle from the little. “he can’t ever hurt you again, tubs, okay?”

tubbo stuck out a single pinky, big brown eyes staring hopefully up at the older. “p’omise?”

quackity chuckled, linking their pinkies together, before planting a kiss on the kid’s forehead. “yes, i promise. i’ll make sure of it.”

* * *

tubbo didn’t know what to do. no one except tommy and quackity knew about his littlespace and he was in trouble regarding that feature of his life. fundy and jack were arguing and yelling, spouting insults. his brain, mental state damaged from trauma and pain, couldn’t help but see a certain horned individual and whoever his next victim was. the man that abused him and made his best friend’s brother kill him. the man that manipulated everyone, only to die pathetically to a heart attack.

tubbo felt himself slipping and knew he’d slip deeper than normal. it wasn’t often people argued in front of him, refraining from doing so because it was the last thing he needed to stress about, but the two were too caught up in emotions to notice or care. it was the first argument he had to hear in weeks and it was sending him far.

tommy was exiled. his little self wanted to scream at his big self if that was possible for taking away his favorite playmate, but big him knew it was the best decision at the time. quackity was always around and doing things for l’manburg that tubbo had given him the day off to spend with sapnap and karl. 

he didn’t know who to turn to, but he did know that he needed to get away from fundy and jack. he turned on his heel and walked swiftly away, ignoring their continuing shouts at each other. he placed his hands over his ears, much like a child would, and hunched into himself, eyes desperately searching for anywhere to take solace. 

nowhere, so he had to suffer the walk back home fluctuating between being big and being little, knowing he wasn’t safe yet, but wanting so desperately to be small. so so small.

he didn’t even know if he could hold on long enough to make sure he had everything for very small him. his legs were already faltering like a newborn calf and his thoughts were fading to those of sleep, cuddles and stuffies.

his house came into view and relief settled on his bones to the point where tears were rapidly filling his soft brown eyes. no one was around to see him fumble and fall apart, a part of him grateful, but another just wanted someone there to help him and hold him and tell him it would be okay. 

he struggled against the door handle, fingers unable to grab it fully, but he managed with a little whine and shoved the door closed swiftly behind him. he raced to snag his little box and change into soft clothes before he felt all muscles weaken and he was left on the blanket he had tugged onto the floor. tears filled his eyes again and he lazily pushed them away, falling deeper into little space. 

his eyes caught sight of his bee plushie, squealing happily and pulling the plushie against his chest. he leaned over and snagged a few toys he could reach in the box, before he could fall over with his lack of balance. he played with his plushie, coloring books and a few sensory toys he managed to pull.

but he was lonely and sad still, no matter how much was surrounding him.

he pulled his bee close to his chest and felt the tears rise. 

“tubbo?” he heard a voice call and he recognized it. it was q! he loved q! q held him when he was upset and scared and that’s what he was at the moment.

he squealed happily, which prompted several set of feet up the steps. the familiar latino appeared in the doorway and his grin brightened at the sight of his caregiver. 

“coo! coo!” he cheered, holding his hands up, not paying mind to the two people behind quackity. 

“hey, baby bee!” quackity greeted with a soft smile, picking the boy up. “how old are you, little bee?”

tubbo hummed, before holding up a figure, noticing the shock on quackity’s face before it fell into excitement. 

“you’re so tiny! you’ve never been so small before, but don’t worry. we’re going to have fun.” quackity turned to the newcomers. “right, guys?”

tubbo followed his gaze and found quackity’s fiances standing in the doorway with confused looks. he tucked his head into the crook of quackity’s neck fearfully.

“yea!” karl recovered first, smiling wide. “what do you wanna do first, buddy?”

tubbo perked up a little at the encouraging words.

“are you hungry, tubbo? i can make a snack while you, karl and quackity play?” sapnap offered, noticing how normal his boyfriends were being in the situation. whatever was happening, they would explain later, but clearly it was making tubbo happy.

the little nodded excitedly. “p’ease!” 

so karl and sapnap gathered tubbo’s things while quackity carried the kid downstairs to the main floor. sapnap and karl set the blanket down and placed his toys down before the former went to the kitchen with a sippy cup in his hand. quackity set tubbo down and karl was instantly playing with him, asking about the name of his bee and helping him stack blocks, along with coloring. karl was a natural and it was making quackity’s heart warm at the thought of taking care of their own someday. 

sapnap came back with a plate of crackers and grapes, along with a sippy cup of warm milk. tubbo giggled happily, holding his hands out. sapnap chuckled, but handed him the cup and set the plate down before the kid. he sat behind karl and put his legs on either side of the elder, resting against his back.

“thank you,” quackity said, breaking the soft silence that settled through the room. the other two looked up at him questioning. “you guys have no idea what’s really going on, but you responded in a way i didn’t think you would. had me worried.”

“well, i’ll be honest, i’m still really confused, but you both are happy, so i didn’t mind,” sapnap answered, resting his chin on karl’s shoulder.

“me too, but i’ve handled enough kids to know not to freeze up, so,” karl responded with a shrug that threw sapnap off and earned a pouting glare. 

quackity chuckled, running his fingers through tubbo’s dark locks as the boy leaned back against his chest, nearly mirroring the position of his fiances, but tubbo was practically laying down. quackity didn’t mind. tubbo had been crying, he could tell from how often he saw the boy and comforted him after a bad dream, and the thought that he was alone and so insanely small twisted painfully in quackity’s chest. 

“tubbo regresses, which means mentally he goes back to an age that helps him destress and forget about his issues for a little. it’s a coping mechanism. i’m kind of like his guardian, or caregiver. i usually only take care of him after a nightmare, but i don’t know, today i felt like he needed me and he did,” quackity explained. “he’s usually between two or four, but he’s smaller at one right now, which has never happened.”

karl and sapnap frowned at the idea that the kid was traumatized to the point where he needed a coping mechanism that helped him relive a part of his childhood where things weren’t completely shit. sapnap felt guilt rise in his stomach, knowing he was part of the trauma. the wars, the fights, the arguments, whatever. it was him and dream and george and wilbur-

“can we help?” karl asked suddenly. “like, can we help you take care of him? this is kind of nice and he’s so cute when he’s small.”

quackity grinned excitedly. “really? you would help?” 

the two nodded. “anything for you, quackity, and tubbo needs more people in his life. between wilbur and tommy… he deserves more people to help him,” karl added with a grin, pulling his sleeves down past his fingers and fidgeting.

quackity looked down at tubbo, pushing the hair from his eyes. the kid peered up with those big eyes, pulling the sippy cup away for a moment to gape up at him.

“how does that sound, tubbo? you okay with karl and sap taking care of you too? if you need them you can go to them when you feel small,” quackity asked gently.

his chocolate eyes widened and his lips split into a grin. “yes, yes!” he cheered, nodding his head happily.

the three adults laughed at his antics and suddenly karl had a lap full of tubbo, wrapping his arms around the kid and pushing his face into his hair.

“t’ank,” tubbo murmured into his multicolored hoodie.

“anytime, baby bee,” karl cooed, earning a little giggle from the boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you, loves! leave a comment, kudos, or subscribe for notifs! you can always change your mind later ;)


	6. Little Echo (little!sapnap)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! How are you? I hope you’re doing good, I wanted to request little Sapnap with cg Dream and George please? Headspace 1-2. Thank you!! (by SugarSweetTea)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two stories in one!
> 
> sorry for the late update. i've been stressing and trying to regress, but it's not working being home :(( so things have been hard, but i'll try to update as best as i can! so much support and requests to get through but i'll get there! <3

it wasn’t uncommon for george or dream to argue. they were extremely close and often butted heads about certain things, like the color of something (george got heated because he didn’t trust dream to not pick the brightest colors), the latest build they were going to work on and its design, or something that the other said. they didn’t live by walking on eggshells, but the situation happened.

and most of the time, it caused sapnap to regress.

they didn’t know. he always slunk out of the room to hid in his room with his plushie, curled under the blankets with a jukebox softly playing. he had to comfort himself when they were busy at each other’s throats.

they knew he regressed, adored it honestly. it was a great comparison to his loud, obnoxious, inappropriate 19 year old self. they didn’t hate his big self, but it was nice to have a chill, playful version of their friend every once and awhile.

as much as he fought with tommy or tubbo, it was all for laughs and jokes. it wasn’t real. it was for fun and all of them knew that. when he fought with dream while big, it was playfully, and, with george, it was teasing. it wasn’t real.

but when george and dream fought, for real with harsh words and venom on their tongues, it scared him. he thought that they would eventually be done with each other and leave, ultimately leaving him alone with no one. no friends, no caregivers, no one. he thought they’d leave like his mom and dad did, but this time he wouldn’t find someone like his step-mom. no one would want to care for someone like him who was too needy and acted like a kid to cope with the troubles of his past and present life. he thought their friendship didn’t matter enough to make up and stay being the dream team.

it was one of those times, george being short with dream because of an issue he wasn’t communicating about. dream snapped that he couldn’t fix the problem if george wasn’t talking to him and george countered that it was pretty obvious. it went back and forth and sapnap didn’t pick a side. clearly dream did something, but didn’t know what because george wasn’t talking.

sapnap already had to deal with karl and quackity’s obnoxious (but lovely) behaviors the day before and had hoped that he could just have a calm day on the couch.

he was so wrong.

their voices increased in volume and his sprawled out body condensed into a fetal position, hands clasping over his ears and humming in the back of his throat to drown out their voices. the want for his fish plushie of mars that niki had made him and to dive under his blankets was so strong, but his legs wouldn’t move and that would gain dream and george’s attention. he didn’t want them to see him so pathetic. they’d probably be disgusted that he couldn’t handle a little arguing. 

but he couldn’t help it. it brought back memories he would’ve rather forgotten, hence the whole regression mechanism, but it followed him no matter who cared for him.

he sniffled, thinking he was quiet. however, unbeknownst to the little, the yelling had stopped and two sets of feet padded into the room. he couldn’t see their heartbroken, guilty looks as they realized what was going on.

a hand on his head made him fearfully look up and he found his caregivers gazing down at him with soft looks.

“no… no mad?” he hiccuped.

“we’re not mad at each other, nor are we made at you,” george reassured, kneeling down beside dream, who’s hand was running through sapnap’s messy locks. “we’re sorry we scared you, little flame. we didn’t mean to.”

sapnap shook his head, looking to his fidgeting hands. “not you fault. bein’ a baby,” he grumbled, wiping the stray tears with his sleeves over his fingers.

“well, i would hope so, since you are my little baby boy,” dream stated confidently, making the little blush and scrunch up his nose bashfully. “and i think little baby boy needs some loving right now.”

sapnap glanced at them, before looking back down and nodding hesitantly. they weren’t angry that he got upset at their arguing or shouting. they weren’t telling him he was being childish or stupid. they were apologizing and feeling bad for scaring him.

he knew his friends cared about him, but he didn’t think they’d be this understanding and he hated that he doubted them.

he reached up with grabby hands and dream answered the silent plea, picking him up and holding him like a koala. sapnap pushed his face into dream’s shoulder and grabbed fistfuls of his sweatshirt. he felt his headspace dip further from ht comforting position. he opened half lidded eyes to find george trailing behind them with a soft, but ashamed look on his face.

sapnap didn’t like gogy feeling down.

so when he was placed on his bed, he reached out to george and tugged him incessantly towards the bed, whining desperately. dream moved away, but sapnap didn’t see where, focused on bringing george onto the bed and curling into the physically smaller male. 

“sappy, it’s okay,” george reassured, brushing dark locks away from the little’s face, his heart falling at the distraught look on his face. 

it was hard to believe his friend when george’s face showed how he was feeling, despite how hard he tried not to show. his face was an open book, and even his little self could see. he shook his head and held tighter to his blue shirt.

he felt the bed dip on his other side and turned to see dream holding a sippy cup of angel milk, a pacifier, and his favorite red blanket. he reached out for them, but dream held them back, making him whine desperately.

“don’t you want to get out of those big boy clothes, sappy?” he cooed, tilting his head. sapnap pouted, but didn’t argue. his double layered turtleneck with his signature white flame tshirt and sweats were too much for his little self. he reluctantly let go of george and sat up, wobbling a little and leaning forward to keep balance.

“how old are we, little firefly?” dream asked with a little chuckle, setting the other items down on the bedside table and going to search for a set of clothes. george remained beside sapnap, rubbing his back.

sapnap furrowed his brows. he was definitely smaller than usual, holding up a single finger and rubbing his eye with his other hand. he yawned tiredly, the emotions that riled him up before making him crash.

“oh, little baby boy today, are we?” george cooed, earning a blush and pout from the little. 

dream brought over a panda bear hoodie and looser black pants. sapnap weakly held his arms up and, as a team, the three changed the little into the comfy clothes. sapnap was barely able to hold himself up, he was so exhausted. after his pacifier was clipped to his hoodie, hood falling near his eyes, he was given his angel milk and blanket. happily, he drank and leaned into george’s chest, letting the brit play with the ends of his hair peeking through the hood.

george and dream apologized and compromised as sapnap enjoyed his drink. the two decided that if they were going to fight, they were either going to do it away from sapnap or solve the issue before it went into a full blown argument. 

once the drink was done, the three laid down with sapnap in the middle clutching his blanket, pacifier in his mouth, and curled into dream’s chest. he made sure george’s hand was on him, making the two caregivers chuckle, before he settled into a peaceful slumber, warm and happy.

* * *

dream started stimming as he idly went through their storage chests. sapnap was sitting on a blanket not too far away in the middle of the room with a few toys and plushies surrounding him. he hadn’t been having a great week, filled with arguing from quackity and karl and tommy and tubbo had found antagonizing the older teens was hilarious, so it wasn’t a surprise that he had woken up and nearly immediately regressed.

george was busy out in the nether collecting quartz and gold, so dream was in charge of taking care of the little fire starter. said little was wearing one of george’s oversized hoodies and soft red pants with fluffy socks against their cold wooden floors. a pacifier was hooked onto the hood of the sweatshirt and a fish stuffie sat in his lap. 

he was perfectly content listening to his friend and caregiver randomly talk and make noises.

dream trilled his lips as he moved cobblestone and andesite around, stopping when he heard echoing of his noises. he turned his body and found sapnap trying to trill his lips, but it came out as raspberries instead. an amused smile graced the dirty blond’s lips as the little saw that he was caught, looking away bashfully.

dream pretended that he hadn’t noticed, turning back around and doing it again, carefully listening to an echo. to his joy, he heard it hesitantly, making his heart leap. for a little, he made random noises and couldn’t help the playful grin that stuck to his face when he heard his little friend copy.

then sapnap would do it even when dream didn’t, giggling to himself as he messed with a crinkly soft red blanket. 

an hour later, george was home, sorting through his things in the storage and idly talking with dream, making faces or asking sapnap questions playfully. 

“i thought i was going to die in that shitty bastion-”

“s’it!” 

george froze and dream couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his flushed face. the brit turned to the little who stared up at them innocently with his pacifier in his mouth. 

“no, no, no, sappy, you can’t say that word,” george gently reprimanded, kneeling down before the little.

the pacifier fell from his mouth and he repeated the word, before trilling happily. george sighed, turning back to a still hysterical dream, who was flat on the ground with his hands on his stomach.

“dream!” he exclaimed, making the cackling blond turn to him. 

“sorry! sorry!” the younger giggled, sitting up. “he’s been repeating all day. you know kids, at that age, they repeat anything they hear,” he explained.

“so the noises-”

“i was making them earlier and he copied,” dream said simply with a shrug. “but i didn’t think he would repeat words.”

george groaned, shoving his head into his hands. “great, we have a little who repeats bad words. big or little, sapnap seems to know how to be improper.”

dream didn’t really care, looking back at the dark haired kid on the blanket and sticking his tongue out. sapnap seemed surprised before playfully doing it back. dream chuckled and said, “sappy, can you say… ‘i love dream’?”

sapnap bit his lower lip. “d’eam!” he cheered.

george rolled his eyes with a soft smile as dream applauded their friend, earning happy giggles. “good enough for me,” the younger said with a shrug.

“we cannot have him cursing while little, dream,” george scolded, crossing his arms. his arms and stern expression dropped when sapnap trilled and set his fish plushie on the older’s lap. he smiled softly.

“well, it’s not my fault he’s copying,” dream argued, moving back to move things in their chests. 

“but don’t laugh and encourage it,” the brit countered, causing the american to sigh and relent, throwing his arms up with a promise to make sure sappy doesn’t say anything else. “good, now is the little firefly hungry?”

sapnap nodded and stood on shaky legs, holding george’s hand with his other occupied by his red crinkly blanket. he muttered ‘gog’ repeatedly as he trailed after the other happily. 

and if dream saw the dark blush on george’s face, well, he totally hung that nickname over him whenever he was being ornery. 

“piss ba’!” 

“dream!” 

he chuckled nervously, rushing upstairs to placate his friend before murdered him for teaching their little such words.


	7. You Thought You Were Okay (little!tommy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hihi! was wondering if I’m able to request little!tommy with CG!Sam and ex CG! Phil and techno, and have it like those two are visiting yo get stuff and are talking to sam for some reason and see tommy and realize he’s regressed and are ready to like take care of him if needed cause even if they’re mad at him they know how small he can get and how he needs help but instead same sees him and walks over and is just like really soft and picks him and like calls him little one or something and there’s techno and Phil on the side heartbroken seeing tommy with someone else as his CG and seeing tommy call Sam dad or papa or somethin and just being a cutie, I’d say age like 1-3 and then after that whole debacle it’s just sam being super soft with tommy sorry this is really long lmao but yeah! (poggg)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes yes
> 
> awesamdad for the win >:D  
> trauma trauma trauma
> 
> I had two versions of this because i couldn't figure out which one i liked more, so i hope you enjoy the one i picked!
> 
> comment, kudos, subscribe for more :)

with l’manberg gone and dream in prison, things were calm. the people who used to live in l’manberg either moved to snowchester or decided to live somewhere else. those who didn’t associate with the blown up country were merely living their lives, creating big projects to keep them busy. with things being pretty calm and the area quiet most of the time, techno and phil often traveled through the greater smp to either talk with someone about business or collect supplies from abandoned houses, or from nearby biomes.

so they noticed the new huge, dark building with scaffolding and fences all around. curiously, they walked up and found sam standing there with a clipboard and hard hat on, focused on the words on the paper and glancing up at the constructing building. 

they were going to call out for the creeper hybrid, but another yell cut them off, making them swerve their attention.

a blond head of hair zoomed over to sam with a hard hat slipping into his eyes, his hand continuously pushing it up when it fell. he giggled and tackled sam in a hug. he was wearing dark overalls with a red and white baseball tee. a pacifier was clipped onto the one strap of his overall and a moth plushie was in his one fist. a green bandage sat on the bridge of his nose, scrunched up as he buried his face in sam’s chest.

“hey there, little man,” sam greeted with a chuckle. “almost done for the day, then we can go home and do whatever you want after dinner okay?”

“okay, papa!” the boy cheered, releasing his embrace to peer at the clipboard.

at this point, techno and phil both silently made the decision to walk into the construction sight and talk to sam, entering and the elder clearing his throat.

the duo turned and the boy was instantly behind sam, hunched over and shaking as he gripped sam’s dark green hoodie.

“techno, phil, wasn’t expecting either of you here,” sam greeted in a surprisingly cold tone that they were not expecting.

both ignored his statement, eyes harshly glaring at them, before their eyes landed on the little peeking his eye out. 

“tommy, come here,” phil demanded, making the boy whine fearfully and hold onto sam tighter. “we’re going home.”

the blond shook his head, hard hat tilting sideways. “no, no, no,” he cried, blue eyes filling with tears as he looked up at his current caregiver. “no go, no.”

tommy had told sam about everything not long after they became friends and sam proved that he had no ill intentions towards the teen. if anything he was the only person in tommy’s life at the moment that was focused on anything besides discs and wars. he could have casual conversations with the man. sam reassured him multiple times that he could tell him anything and sam would be there to help him cope or simply be an ear to listen. 

and both he did with a heart that felt too full of warmth and content. 

tommy had been worried with everything in snowchester with jack and niki and tubbo was spending, time with ranboo, who was spending time with techno and phil. ranboo had talked about how welcomed he was and how understanding phil and techno were, giving him anything he needed and mentioning once that phil even called him son. tommy told sam this, saying that he was happy that ranboo found a little place to call home, it his own father had practically shoved him aside for techno, someone close to the family, but not a blood relative. if anything he was a protege to phil, who taught the hybrid everything he knew. 

he did not support his son, he did not help his son, and when his sons needed him the most, he wasn’t there. he killed one of his sons and for what? he lived with that guilt every day and yet pushed his last living biological son away. 

tommy hadn’t felt like a son to phil and a kid in general in ages. since before he even turned double digits, he admitted to sam.

the man was shocked and furious to find out that this was how tommy’s family was treating him.

and when tommy explained his coping mechanism and how he didn’t have anyone anymore since his father practically disowned him and his surrogate brother of sorts hated him, sam didn’t hesitate to fill that role. when tommy explained that sometimes techno would get frustrated when he slipped and practically forced him to age up too soon, or phil told him it wasn’t how he should be handling things, (trauma, sam thought, that you helped provide), sam felt vexation writhe in his muscles and want to be set free with a fight against those who hurt tommy. but those sad blue eyes made him calm and focus on the task at hand.

be a dad to tommy, both big and little. 

sam spoiled him since he only had henry his cow plushie. he got him a moth plushie he unsurprisingly dubbed clementine (clem when he couldn’t fully pronounce it), two blankets that crinkle, one red and one green (his and tubbo ‘s colors), many soft sets of pajamas with various themes, a few pacifiers and sippy cups, and sensory toys to help his ever running mind.

tommy cried and slipped every time sam gave him something new, overwhelmed by his generosity that he had never been shown before.

sam was making sure he knew how loved he was.

and tommy was making sure sam knew how appreciated and how grateful tommy was for him. little him drew pictures and let him pick the movies while they cuddled and big him helped with dinner and cleaning around the base and even taking care of fran. 

they found a rhythm, they found harmony, they were happy.

tommy didn’t need phil or techno after they welcomed his coping mechanism, only to turn it away weeks later because it was inconvenient for them. after hating every little thing he did around them from fidgeting to making noises. he had sam, who put down a project because little tommy was more important than a build that would get done eventually. 

sam hushed him, brushing a hand up and down his back comfortingly. “you’re not going to go with them, tom-tom,” he reassured softly.

“and why not?” techno demanded, eyes narrowing and grip on his blade tightening white. “he’s my brother, phil’s son-”

“from what i’ve heard and seen, you are far from either of those things,” sam interrupted, turning slightly so his body was shielding tommy’s. “you weren’t even a friend to tommy, let alone his caregivers and family.”

“that’s not true. he’s probably spun stories-”

“i don’t think his sleep full of nightmares crying out and panic attacks are fictional stories he’s made up,” sam growled at phil before the excuse could be finished. “you left him when he needed you. you knew how small his headspace can get, you know he’s still a kid no matter what, and yet you chose your adult son to believe and follow.”

“we don’t have to listen to this,” techno grumbled, stepping forward to reach out for tommy. he didn’t get very far before sam pulled out his sword and a fight ensued. tommy had released sam to allow him to fend off technoblade, watching his father-figure fight with determination to protect his kid. tommy was anxiously watching, squeezing his moth plushie hard.

he was so focused on his dad that he didn’t notice a being come up behind him until he was thrown over a shoulder. he knew it wasn’t his dad and not puffy or tubbo since they never picked him up in such a dehumanizing way. he screamed and cried, pounding on the person’s back, along with wings and he knew who they were by that huge feature.

“papa! papa!” he sobbed, tears falling in fat clumps down his cheeks. he kicked and flailed every limb available, which was everything except his thighs which were pressed down to a chest by arms. panic made his chest rise up and down quickly. the touch of someone he did not find safe was poisonous and made his skin crawl uncomfortably. he wanted to be with his dad where it was warm and soothing, not in someone who felt cold and disgusting.

they suddenly stopped moving, all noises ceasing besides tommy’s panicking. sam glared darkly at phil, tip of his sword threatening sitting on the blond’s adam’s apple.

“drop my kid,  _ now _ ,” sam demanded sharply.

phil hesitated, before giving in and moving to sit tommy down on his feet. the boy gave a shaky breath, blabbering helplessly, before finding his dad and tackling his front. his words were not english, his limbs were shaky and he was struggling. sam’s heart clenched at the idea of tommy falling from his toddler mindset into something deeper because of the fear that was induced. he didn’t mind taking care of tommy was he was a baby, but the cause of it made him murderous.

he picked tommy up, glared a warning at phil and techno, who sat on the ground with a side wound that downed him long enough for sam to see what phil was doing and put a stop to it. the creeper hybrid turned with a mission to get to snowchester, rubbing tommy’s back and soothing his cries. he settled the pacifier against his lip before the little took it and buried his tearstained face in the crook of his neck. there was a stray hiccup and sob as things slowly eased down.

“you’re okay, tom-tom. you’re okay. i won’t ever let them take you. remember, i promised. and i kept that promise right? yea,” sam muttered softly into the crown of his head, heart breaking at how distraught the little was. “you want a little treat for being such a good kiddo? we got some hot cocoa still. you were so good today! i’m sure tubbo would love some cuddles too.”

his head turned slightly to look up, baby blue eyes wide and tears sitting on his long lashes. his face was flushed and his lip was quivering. “bo?” he whispered.

“yea! we’re going to go see bo!” sam cheered softly. that earned a small smile from the little and a shy burrow into his shoulder. sam chuckled, rubbing his back.

it didn’t take them long to reach tubbo’s house in snowchester, sam knocking while tommy glanced up slightly. the door opened and tubbo’s brunette hair and a brown eye peeked through. when he noticed who was there, his face brightened and the door opened more.

“tommy!” he exclaimed. “hi buddy!” 

tommy giggled. “bo!” 

sam entered the house with a smile as tubbo backed up to allow them entry. once they were out of the chilly weather, sam set tommy down, but realized that he regressed so far his lanky legs were shaking with the effort to hold himself up. tubbo reached out and steadied his best friend with a wide grin.

“how old are you, tom tom?” 

tommy hummed, little babbles escaping as he picked at the small embroidered patches on tubbo’s sweater. the elder chuckled.

“very little.”

sam nodded, picking the little up again and walking to the couch. “he was around three or four, but… we had visitors who did some things and he fell a little younger,” he explained, settling tommy onto the couch and offering the pacifier on his shirt. tommy took it and reached out to tubbo. the teen answered, letting the little curl close to him.

“i’ll explain more later,” sam promised tubbo, who nodded.

“i have a feeling i know who, but i’d like to fully know. for now, we have a little baby to take care of, don’t we?” he cooed, brushing long locks away from tommy’s baby blue eyes. they were falling slightly as exhaustion fell, fingers nimbly holding onto tubbo’s sweater. 

“hey, bug, why don’t we get you a snack and then you can take a nap, yea?” sam suggested, as he knelt down before the two.

tommy whined, burrowing his head into tubbo’s chest, making the two chuckle. “just a little one, tom-tom. with a little bit of angel milk?”

tommy perked up a little, muttered babbles their answer, so sam went to the kitchen, took a container of puffs and made some angel milk, setting it to warm rather than hot so the kid didn’t have to wait for it to cool. he came back to tommy playing with tubbo’s fingers as tubbo told him about his day, even though he knew the kid had no idea what he was really saying.

after eating a handful of puffs and downing the sippy cup full of angel milk, tommy was calmly sucking his pacifier, curled next to his dad and his bo. he hummed happily.

this was his family. this was the family that cared about him and would do anything for him, and he would do anything for them.

techno and phil thought they were okay after everything they did to him, after leaving his childhood in wilbur’s hands, after destroying the only thing he had left, after choosing ranboo over him, after phil chose techno over his own kids. after everything, they thought they were okay.

but they weren’t.

as sam settled a blanket over his and tubbo’s shoulders, kissing their foreheads before heading to the kitchen, as tubbo quietly read him a book, as his eyes fell heavier and heavier with each second, he knew tubbo and sam were okay. they were more than okay.

they were perfect.


End file.
